Vehicle signal



E. B. THOMAS VEHICL E' SIGNAL July 14, 1931.

2- snets-sneet 1 Filed Nov. 1.8,, 1930 gwwntoz B.Tkamas July 14, 1931; E. B. THOMAS VEHQICLE smxw;

Filed Nov. 18, 1930 2 Sheets- Sheet '2 w EB. 7 7

Patented July 14, 1931 1 STATES ELENE TB- THO A F N R MANQHE TE IN IANA "VEHICLE SIGNAL Application filed November 18, 1930; Serial No. i9' 3,5l2'.

This invention relates to improvemel fi in vehicle signaling devices, andipertains par ticularly to a signal designed primarily i' or use upon thehacks ,or buse employedlforea i5 rying' chi-ldrencto and from school.

In rural sections and insoine-cities where the school children attending .a particular school, live at points remote from the schOOl, buses are firequently employed for conveying the children iromtheir homes to the school and back again. Accidents frequently happen when the school busstop t et a Ch ld 011?, as the result ofthe failure of other motor- 7 iststo observe the children leaving the bus.

The primary object of the presentil Venr tion is to provide a signal device which will indicateto motorists followingandthQSe approaching theschool bus upon whichthe device is mounted, that the vehicle is a school lab bus and that caution is necessary in passing it. llhis device is designed to-be actuated Simultaneously with the ,setting of the {hand or merge cy brake ofpthe machine by the driver before the leaves the achine to let child oii.

Another object of the invention isto provide a device which w ll always be eeti oi theater the character of the vehiclerto wh ch it is appli to motorists approachingthe 50 vehicle fr m acrossstreets, whil the same is m ving, and which will he shiit daiter the vehicle is stopped-and the emergency brake has been-set, sothat the Character of the vehiolewillbe indicated to motorists approachingthesame from the frontier rom her ar. A still further object of the invention is to provide ;a signaling device ,of the JabOJVe described character which is iofsimple design, strong and durable, easy .toii lsliitll and op- L40 erate, and efiicient.

' The inven -ion will be best und r toodirom a. consid ration ofth foll wing etaileddescription taken in,connectionwiththe accolnpanying drawings forming part of this specification, with the understanding, however, that theinvention is not'confin d to anyistrict conformity with the showing oithe drawings hut may-be changed o'r-modifiedsolong-as such changes or modificati ns m rkno .terial departure flfOll'L s fi salientteatures o;

b appli h e e ash cf t e hi lebethe adjacent sidesofthe yeh-icle body into a gear heu ingi m u t 13.01 th u s de or cup likesections 8 which have fianges about the nv ti a expr sse i th appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a View inside elevation oiiaporioniefa o v icl cs Wi gthem-annerin which the presen s gn l i mounted th reen- FigureQ is vertical transverse sectionoi the front portion of the vehicle bod-yel owing part of th ignal structur in v e tion and parts in elevation. i v j 30 Figure 3 is a detailed view looking atoward on of the gna ement f om th r ntlof th m hin ingth position of th signal whenthe machine-isstill. v

Figure 4 is a sectional View taken on the line 44l ofFigure 2. I t

ig r 5 is a de ai ed s ctional view through a portion of'the vehicle dash showing the connection with thehand brake lever.

Eigure .6 is a detailed sectional view through a porticnoi one of the signal element o i g t dg reinfo cement thereof.

Beier i ng mo e. partie l r y o the drawingswherein like numerals of referenceinr 5 die or esp nding par throug eut the several views, the numeral 1 indicates generally-the windshield of a motor vehicle of .the ehe r whi th p en inven eni te .ingindicated by the numeral 2 and the hand or emergency brake by the numeral The signaling device comprises aiseries of bear ng: k t 4 hiehe s red a fee th e wi h the ea ng in aligi m nt- Ext ding t an e s y e t n er faceo'f the dashthrough theqbearings 5 is an e ei leta e af fi whi h pa e out t ugh the vehicle in the manner shown. While any for nof 'ear housin "ena, i he cm 310 ed it is ,b lb :5 1. l V

preferredthatthe sameloe initheuiorin g f -twp their edges, which flanges are brought in tp abutting -.:r ;1at1 n and s c r t gethe by screws or other suitable holding elements passing transversely therethrough. The ends 01 the shaft 6 pass threugh suitable jacent hand brake lever 3.

bearings 9 formed in the confronting faces of the flanges of each gear housing, each end of the shaft carrying, within the adjacent gear housing, a bevel gear 10.

Mounted vertically at each side of the windshield 1 is a tubular casing 11, the lower end of which is secured in and between the sections of the adjacent gear housing 7. In the upper and lower ends of the housings 11 are bearings 12 through which extend the vertical shafts 13 which, of course, pass longitudinally through the housing, the lower end of each shaft extending into the adjacent gear casing 7 and carrying a bevel gearl l which meshes with the other gear therein. A suitable cap 15 covers the upper end of each housing 11 which prevents water from getting'into the bearings therein.

Upon the upper end of each shaft 13 is a rigid signal 16 inthe form of a pennant. Each of these signals is made up of a light metal plate 17 which is reinforced along the side edges by steel wires or rods 18 of suitable weight, over which the adjacent edges of the panel are turned.

7 To the back or base of each signal panel there is secured a tubular body 19 by means of the integral plate 20, this tubular body or sleeve being designed to slip over and be secured in any suitable manner to the upper .end of a shaft 13.

In order that the device may be effective at night, each of the signal elements 16 is provided with a number of red glass bulls-eyes 21 which cover reflecting surfaces (not shown). These elements, which are of well known construction and are not therefore shown in detail, will reflect the light rays issuing from the headlights of approaching vehicles and thus draw the attention of the drivers of other vehicles to the signal elements.

Mounted upon the shaft 6, which is withinthe vehicle, is an arm 22 which is relatively broad adjacent its free end, the planes of the faces lyin parallel with the longitudinal center of the vehicle body.

The board upper portion of the arm 22 is provided with a series of apertures 23, these apertures being disposed at varying distances from the forward edge of the arm and in one thereof there is mounted a securing screw or bolt 24 which holds against the arm one of the two links '25 which are connected by a turn buckle 26. The other of these links 25 is secured in the manner shown to thead- From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that when the vehicle to which the present signal is attached, is in operation, the hand brake lever will be shoved forwardly and when in this position the signal element 16 will be extended or directed rearwardly of the machine. \Vhen the machine is stopped, the. driver, before leaving his seat, will draw the hand lever back to set the emergency brake and at the same time he will oscillate the arm 22 and the shaft 6 to which it is attached. This will, of course, cause the vertical shafts 13 to be oscillated and the signal element 16 to be swung outwardly to a position at right angles to the sides of the vehicle. It will thus be seen that another motorist approaching the vehicle to which the signal is attached will be at once apprized of the character of the vehicle and may then use the necessary caution in passing it. It will also be apparent that when the vehicle is moving the signal panels or elements 16 will be in a position where they will be readily seen by motorists approaching the signal carrying vehicle from side or intersecting streets.

It will, of course, be understood that the signal structure may, if it be desired, be illuminated when used at night so that entire dependence will not have to be placed in the light reflecting bulls-eyes 21 for drawing the attention of the signal to the drivers of other motor vehicles. No particular arrangement has been illustrated for lighting the signals as it will be understood that any satisfactory means may be employed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a motor vehicle signal including a signal element and rotary means for moving it to and from signaling position, an operating shaft designed to be mounted transversely of the vehicle adjacent the dash thereof, a means connecting said shaft and rotary means whereby the same may be simultaneously oscillated, and means for connecting said transverse shaft with an oscillatable element of the vehicle for oscillating said shaft with said element.

' 2. In a motor vehicle having an emergency brake lever, a signal structure including a signal element and a rotatable support therefor, a shaft, means for supporting said shaft in positiontransversely of the vehicle adjacent said lever, a gear connection between said shaft and said rotatable support whereby 'simultaneous rotation of the shaft and support may be effected, and a connecting element between said transverse shaft and said lever whereby oscillation of the shaft is effected upon the shifting of the lever, to

-move the signal element. 7

3. In a signal for a motor'vehicle having an oscillatablehand brake lever, said signal including a signal element and a rotatable support therefor, a shaft, bracket elements designed to be mounted upon the motor vehicle dash to support said shaft in the forward part of the vehicle, transversely thereof, gear means connecting an end of the transverse shaft with said support, an arm carried by the transverse shaft, and a connection between the arm and the hand brake lever through the medium of whichthe arm and transverse shaft is oscillated upon the shifting of the lever.

4. In a motor vehicle having an oscillatable hand brake lever, a signal element and supporting means therefor; an oscillatable shaft mounted transversely of the vehicle, 7

an arm rigid with said shaft, a rigid coupling between said arm and said hand lever, said shaft having an end extended to the exterior of the vehicle at one side thereof, and a connection between said shaft and said signal supporting means for transmitting motion to the signal, said arm having a vertical series of openings therein whereby adjust-ment of the connection of said coupling therewith, may be made for altering the throw thereof.

5. In a structure of the character described for motor vehicles having an ocillatable lever, a shaft disposed transversely of the interior of the vehicle and mounted for oscillation, one end of the shaft being extended to the exterior of the vehicle, a second shaft disposed exteriorly of the vehicle, a coupling between said shafts whereby motion may be transmitted from one to the other thereof, an arm secured to said first mentioned shaft adjacent the lever, a coupling between said arm and said lever whereby upon oscillation of the lever oscillatory motion will be transmitted to the arm and the shafts, and a signal carried by the second mentioned shaft and actuated thereby to operative or inoperative position.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature.

ERNEST B. THOMAS. 

